A local science teacher has passed his knowledge on to students, and now General Motors is passing an award on to him.

Officials from GM's Genesee County plants handed out the award, and with it, the keys to one of the greenest cars around...

...It was a big surprise for Beecher biology teacher Don Hammond.

The car is a bonus to the Chevrolet "Green Educator of the Year award," a new award focusing on environmental education.

"Students, the next generation of adults coming up, need to understand that they do need to take that to heart and try and make a difference," said Hammond. "So being environmental stewards and learning about social justice and those kinds of things as young adults. That's really what it's all about."

Great. That's just what young scientists must learn to succeed in the cutthroat global competition: "social justice".